Facebook is killing off the Oculus brand on the heels of its “Meta” rebrand.
Facebook made headlines Thursday when it announced its anticipated rebrand. The company chose the name Meta, a nod to its attempt to build a “metaverse” where AR, VR and in-person reality converge. Like the Alphabet/Google relationship, Meta will be the parent company, with Facebook one of the brands under its umbrella.
In his post revealing the rebrand, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said none of the company’s brands would change.
Our mission remains the same — it’s still about bringing people together. Our apps and their brands aren’t changing either. We’re still the company that designs technology around people.
Despite that, it appears the company is doing exactly what Zuckerberg said they wouldn’t and are killing off the Oculus brand. In a post of his own, Andrew Bosworth, VP of AR/VR, said the Oculus brand is no more.
Starting in early 2022, you’ll start to see the shift from Oculus Quest from Facebook to Meta Quest and Oculus App to Meta Quest App over time.
We all have a strong attachment to the Oculus brand, and this was a very difficult decision to make. While we’re changing the brand of the hardware, Oculus will continue to be a core part of our DNA and will live on in things like software and developer tools.
Only time will tell what other changes are in store following the company’s rebrand.
Facebook has followed through on rumored plans to rename itself, going with the name “Meta.”
Facebook was rumored to be considering a name change to better reflect its various endeavors and to distance itself from the scrutiny it has garnered. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in a post that the company would rebrand itself as Meta.
To reflect who we are and the future we hope to build, I’m proud to share that our company is now Meta.
The move is reminiscent of Google’s rebrand, when Google become one of many brands under the Alphabet parent company. Zuckerberg seems to be taking the same approach, with Facebook being relegated to just one of the company’s many brands — including Instagram, WhatsApp and Oculus — under the new Meta parent.
Zuckerberg said the rebrand will allow the company to focus on “the metaverse,” its term for the convergence of visual reality, augmented reality and in-person reality.
From now on, we will be metaverse-first, not Facebook-first. That means that over time you won’t need a Facebook account to use our other services. As our new brand starts showing up in our products, I hope people around the world come to know the Meta brand and the future we stand for.
It remains to be seen if the rebrand will be successful, especially in helping the company move away from the scrutiny it’s under.
Verizon and the NFL have extended their 5G partnership for another 10 years, bringing 5G innovations to NFL stadiums around the US.
Verizon has been working with the NFL for years to help transform all aspects of the game, from 5G-powered AR to improved coaching, scouting, training and more.
The two organizations have extended their partnership for another 10-years, opening the door for even more innovation in the coming decade.
“The NFL has embraced innovation for decades to bring fans closer to the game, from instant replay technology to outfitting players with microphones,” said Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO Verizon. “Our longstanding relationship, and swift delivery of 5G connectivity in 25 stadiums, has created new ways to bring fans even closer to the action. As we embark on the next 10 years, our work with the NFL will continue to enhance and transform not only the fan experience, but also has the potential to improve player training and overall venue operations.”
“For the past decade, Verizon has been one of our key technology partners, helping with everything from digital distribution of NFL content, engaging our fans at the NFL’s biggest events, enhancing communications throughout the NFL ecosystem and upgrading technology within stadiums across the League,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “As we look to the next decade with our trusted partner, Verizon will help us capitalize on the promise of 5G technology, paving the way for the future of the game and delivering incredible experiences for millions of NFL fans.”
Facebook may be one of the dominant social media platforms, but it certainly hasn’t achieved that based on its customer support — which is abysmal.
In fact, Facebook’s tech support is so bad that some users are resorting to spending hundreds of dollars for VR equipment they don’t even want just to get support. Even then, Facebook’s support is leaving some users in the cold.
Business Insider cites the case of Rachel Sines, whose account was disabled after she created a support group for individuals who had family members that had joined QAnon. Sines tried to get help from Facebook, without making any progress. She then bought an Oculus VR system, as well as a Portal tablet, since Oculus requires a Facebook account to work.
Sines’ account was reactivated when she got the Oculus, only to be immediately deactivated again. The Oculus rep told her that Facebook had reviewed her account and the decision was upheld.
“I lost 15 years of data in the blink of an eye… My dating journey, wedding, honeymoon, videos of our daughter’s first steps and baptism,” Sines told Insider. “It was like I, and any trace of me, was eerily deleted.”
Ultimately, it took Insider reaching out to Facebook, seven months after the initial action, for Facebook to reinstate Sines’ account and acknowledge that disabling it had been a mistake. During that entire time, Facebook never reached out to Sines, or responded to her many, many attempts to get her account reactivated.
Stories like this — where it takes getting a major news outlet involved to get a response — makes one wonder how Facebook ever became so popular.
Facebook has announced Horizon Workrooms, the company’s foray into virtual reality office space.
Much in the workplace has changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote and hybrid work trends were kicked into overdrive as employees were sent home to work remotely. Even many companies’ recent efforts to return to the office have been dealt a blow and postponed as a result of the surge in Delta cases.
Facebook is working to address the challenges of remote work with virtual reality, in an effort to improve workplace collaboration.
Workrooms is our flagship collaboration experience that lets people come together to work in the same virtual room, regardless of physical distance. It works across both virtual reality and the web and is designed to improve your team’s ability to collaborate, communicate, and connect remotely, through the power of VR—whether that’s getting together to brainstorm or whiteboard an idea, work on a document, hear updates from your team, hang out and socialize, or simply have better conversations that flow more naturally.
Although the product is still in beta, the company wants developers to start working with it and adopt its features in their own projects. The company also wants feedback on the new platform.
We think VR will fundamentally transform the way we work as a new computing platform, defying distance to help people collaborate better from anywhere. Horizon Workrooms is a big first step towards this vision, and we look forward to hearing your feedback.
Fisk University, T-Mobile, HTC VIVE and VictoryXR are launching one of the first 5G-powered, virtual reality (VR) human cadaver labs.
VR is one of the more exciting technologies under development, with almost limitless applications in everyday life. Nashville, TN-based Fisk University sees VR as an innovative, and cost-effective, way to teach pre-med and biology students. The university is partnering with T-Mobile, HTC VIVE and VictoryXR to help create the experience.
“We’re combining the best aspects of virtual and in-person learning, and this is the future of education,” said Dr. Vann Newkirk, President, Fisk University. “Fisk University is emerging as a tech leader among colleges, and our effort to bring a virtual reality cadaver lab to campus exemplifies our commitment to provide students with a state-of-the-art education.”
VR will enable professors and students to study and interact with the virtual cadavers in ways that would never be possible in real-life.
Inside the lab, students will examine the internal organs of various human systems, and the professor can even remove the organs from the body and pass them around for students to hold and open. Students will have the ability to enlarge the organ to a size large enough where they can even step inside to better learn how it works. In addition to organ systems, the cadavers will also include complete skeletal and muscle structures.
Given the cost of purchasing real cadavers, the VR system will put Fisk University on equal footing with other schools.
“With this cadaver lab, our pre-med students will no longer need to rely on other universities for advanced anatomy and biology classes,” said Dr. Shirley Brown, Dean of Fisk University. “Virtual reality technology takes our university to a level equal to the most advanced schools in the country.”
Fisk University’s VR campus is just the latest example of what is possible with the burgeoning tech.
Verizon has announced it is the exclusive partner of 15 NBA teams, and now has its Ultra Wideband 5G deployed in 60+ stadiums.
Ultra Wideband is Verizon’s name for the fastest flavor of 5G, mmWave. It offers speed measured in gigabits, and opens a world of new possibilities. The company is helping NBA teams use the technology to create more immersive experiences for fans in attendance. As one example, fans will be able to point their phones at a player and seen their stats and information on their screens, get shot/miss projections and more.
Verizon and the NBA teams clearly see such experiences as a key element to luring people back to in-person events.
“As fans return to live events, the need to reimagine the in-arena experience and operations has accelerated and 5G Ultra Wideband is a critical component,” said Brian Mecum, Vice President of Device Technology for Verizon. “The deployment of 5G in these arenas is the foundation for unlocking future fan experiences and solutions for venue operations.”
Verizon and Dreamscape have announced a partnership to deliver 5G-based virtual reality (VR) innovations.
Dreamscape is one of the leading VR companies, and helped pioneer multi-person, real-time VR. VR is one of the industries that stands to benefit the most from 5G, as the wireless technology can deliver the speeds and low-latency necessary to create immersive, fluid experiences.
Verizon and Dreamscape’s partnership will initially focus on using 5G and mobile edge computing (MEC) to create immersive-learning and training experiences.
“Verizon’s partnership with Dreamscape shows how innovative tech built on our 5G network can revolutionize industries,” said Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business. “Using 5G and Edge computing, we are creating immensely powerful and complex VR experiences using lower-cost, tetherless VR hardware, and advancing VR education and training simulations beyond what was previously thought possible. This opens the door to new experiences and makes VR training more accessible for students, trainees, and professionals.”
“Dreamscape is founded on the premise that we can think beyond physical limitations to create new ways for our world to learn, play, and work. With Verizon as our partner, we’re able to push the limits of VR. Together, we’ll set the standard for VR innovation and application in every field,” said Walter Parkes, CEO of Dreamscape.
Microsoft may lose out on its $10 billion JEDI contact, but it just scored a $21.9 billion contract to provide the US Army with augmented reality (AR) headsets.
Unlike virtual reality (VR), which creates a completely immersive environment, AR augments the real world with virtual reality overlays. The US Army wants to use AR headsets to improve battlefield communication and awareness, providing soldiers with important information.
Microsoft and the US Army will work to quickly move the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) program from prototype to production.
The IVAS headset, based on HoloLens and augmented by Microsoft Azure cloud services, delivers a platform that will keep Soldiers safer and make them more effective. The program delivers enhanced situational awareness, enabling information sharing and decision-making in a variety of scenarios. Microsoft has worked closely with the U.S. Army over the past two years, and together we pioneered Soldier Centered Design to enable rapid prototyping for a product to provide Soldiers with the tools and capabilities necessary to achieve their mission.
Microsoft’s announcement is the latest example of the many ways VR and AR are poised to revolutionize multiple industries.
Microsoft has introduced Microsoft Mesh, a new mixed-reality experience that could revolutionize remote work, communication and socialization.
Ever since Star Trek popularized the concept of the Holodeck, people the world over have dreamed of the day when it would be a reality. Microsoft is taking a big step toward that goal with its Microsoft Mesh mixed reality technology.
Mixed reality, as its name suggests, mixes virtual reality with real-life objects and people. Unlike straight virtual reality, mixed reality offers certain advantages, especially for meetings, socializing and some training scenarios.
Powered by Azure, Microsoft Mesh “uses 3D capture technology to beam a lifelike image of a person into a virtual scene,” a process the company refers to as “holoportation.” The technology will allow individuals to hold meetings, collaborate, socialize and more using a lifelike, photorealistic likeness.
“This has been the dream for mixed reality, the idea from the very beginning,” said Microsoft Technical Fellow Alex Kipman. “You can actually feel like you’re in the same place with someone sharing content or you can teleport from different mixed reality devices and be present with people even when you’re not physically together.”
Many companies have been working on virtual and mixed reality applications, but Microsoft has just raised the bar for what can be accomplished with the technology.
Dan Riccio, Apple former head of hardware, is reportedly heading up the company’s efforts to develop a virtual and augmented reality headset.
Dan Riccio has been heavily involved in Apple product design and hardware engineering since he joined the company in 1998. He was eventually appointed executive team leader of Hardware Engineering in 2012.
In January, however, Riccio was moved to a secret project, with John Ternus replacing him as hardware chief. Underscoring the importance of Riccio’s new role, he reports directly to Tim Cook. Some believed his new role might be tied to Project Titan, Apple’s car development efforts.
According to a new report by Bloomberg, however, it appears Riccio is working on a headset for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). VR and AR have seen increased usage across a wide range of industries. While gaming is often the first people think of, VR and AR are being used to train personnel, provide therapy, improve remote workplace experiences, expand social networks and more.
Apple has been a big proponent of AR technology, rolling it out in the iPhone and iPad. If Bloomberg’s reports are true, a dedicated VR/AR headset would represent a significant increase in the company’s investment in the fledgling technology, and could pave the way for more widespread adoption.
Microsoft is developing technology that will allow it to recreate someone, dead or alive, as a chatbot.
Straight out of science fiction, Microsoft filed for a patent covering the creation of a customized chatbot, designed to mimic the personality of a specific person. In the patent application, Microsoft describes a process where a person’s social media and communications could be used to train the chatbot.
In aspects, social data (e.g., images, voice data, social media posts, electronic messages, written letters, etc.) about the specific person may be accessed. The social data may be used to create or modify a special index in the theme of the specific person’s personality. The special index may be used to train a chat bot to converse in the personality of the specific person.
To make the experience even more real, Microsoft says images could be used to make a 2D or 3D likeness of the person.
This is one of those inventions that could be supremely creepy, or supremely awesome. The chatbot could provide companionship to someone grieving a loss, as well as be a valuable tool in therapy applications and similar situations. Obviously, it could also be huge source of entertainment. Whether it succeeds or fails will depend largely on how well Microsoft executes.
Nextech AR has announced it is integrating Microsoft Azure across its virtual experience platforms and applications.
Nextech AR provides a wide range of augmented reality (AR) and virtual experience technologies (VXT). Augmented reality has become an increasingly important technology, especially for marketers and e-commerce, allowing individuals to visualize how something will look.
Similarly, VXT has experienced major growth, in large part as a result of the pandemic. Virtual experiences have supplanted in-person meetings for everything from work meetings to major industry conventions.
Integrating Azure will allow Nextech AR to better scale its offerings, for both virtual and hybrid events.
“We pride ourselves in offering truly scalable events and services for today’s digital age. With our existing data center, making quick changes to event size and scale was an involved process that required hardware changes and sometimes took weeks,” said Mark Pace, CTO, Virtual Experience Platform at NexTech AR, “By migrating our platforms onto Microsoft Azure, we can scale events at the cloud level, with the push of a button, enabling us to elevate our event and customer experiences simultaneously. Azure is a trusted, industry-leading solution with game-changing potential for the event and experience creation industry. Our customers have come to rely on our growing portfolio of products to provide next-level tools and services which makes cloud-computing integration a perfect addition.”
“Azure, Microsoft’s cloud and edge computing platform is the gold standard and positions us perfectly for large enterprise customers who are looking for a convenient and reliable cloud-based computing platform. We see this as a major building block which is crucial to our business model as we look to expand the footprint of our virtual events and experiences,” said Evan Gappelberg, CEO of Nextech AR. He continues, “In 2020 we worked with notable organizations including Amazon, Northwell Health, Dell, Bell Canada, Grundfos, UNESCO, Restaurants Canada and Carnegie Mellon University to create virtual experiences and tools. In 2021 we now have the ability to offer Microsoft Azure to new and existing partners which will be instrumental to our growth as we look to build on our new client wins with new product offerings, and first-class customer service.”
Nextech AR’s announcement is a big win for Microsoft, as it continues to battle for dominance in the cloud market.
Verizon has announced it is partnering with Unity to help drive 5G-powered digital experiences and mobile edge computing (MEC).
5G is the next generation of wireless technology that promises revolutionary speeds, opening up a whole new world of digital possibilities. Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), gaming, autonomous driving and much more all benefit from the speeds 5G can provide. Edge computing and MEC is another area where 5G can make a big difference, allowing data to be processed faster at or near the point of collection.
Verizon has been investing heavily in its 5G network. Until recently, it had primarily focused on the fastest variety of 5G, the high-band mmWave, which Verizon calls Ultra Wideband. The company has also spent big at the FCC auction for coveted mid-band spectrum, often considered the sweet spot for 5G, offering a good combination of speed and coverage.
Unity, on the other hand, is the maker of the popular Unity game engine, as well as the creator of the popular Fortnite game. Unity’s engine is also one of the leading VR platforms. This portfolio makes Unity a natural choice for Verizon to partner with to provide 5G content.
“We are entering an era of technology-led disruption where 5G and MEC will not only transform the full enterprise lifecycle, it will change the way consumers experience gaming and entertainment,” said Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business. “Every business is accelerating the shift to digital for their employees, supply chain or end-customer experience. So whether you’re an enterprise reimaging how you do business using predictive real time insights, computer vision, machine learning and artificial intelligence, or a mobile gamer who simply wants to download the hottest new game in seconds and enjoy data intensive, multiplayer games conventionally reserved for consoles, the future is happening right now.”
“We know the world is demanding high-speed, AAA content, whether it’s an educational augmented reality application or a robot running a simulation of a digital twin,” said Ryan Peterson, VP, Solutions, at Unity. “5G is the key piece for us to facilitate these real-time 3D experiences broadly and to better meet the demands of the real-time economy.”
This partnership further illustrates the emphasis wireless companies are placing on providing content that aligns with their core business. In October, T-Mobile announced TVision, its foray into streaming TV. Similarly, AT&T has its own streaming service. In an industry known for its churn — where customers switch from one company to another — providing high-quality digital experiences may play a big role in increasing brand loyalty.
Using spatial reality to combine the virtual and physical world, Sony’s new Spatial Reality Display creates an incredible 3D optical experience that is viewable to the naked eye.
“It’s unlike any conventional display,” says Sony Product Designer So Morimoto. “It’s like you’re looking at the real thing. The Spatial Reality Display compared to other displays is amazing. Obviously, conventional 3D displays can show things in 3D, but this actually follows your eye movements, making it feel like a real object. I love that the display feels so natural to the human senses.”
For designers, this is a huge breakthrough says Sony Product Designer and Mechanical Engineer Tatsuhito Aono. “If we could share designs that are life-size with this kind of clarity, it would make things much smoother. We could get the planner, the designer, and everyone else on the same page, so I think efficiency would improve and so would the quality. It’s almost like you are looking at the same image side by side.
“I quickly realized that I’m seeing a whole new world here,” says Morimoto. “
https://youtu.be/HY2uI39-r9I
“Every single person I’ve seen observing this display is just like wow… I’ve never seen anything like it,” says Dan Phillips, Executive Producer for Emerging Technology at The Mill, a technology creative partner for agencies, production companies, and brands. “I mean you are literally looking at magic happen on the screen. At The Mill, we always take a brief and try to expand on it, whereas this is no kind of precedent.”
“We’ve all seen holographic effects but this is one that you can see with your own eyes in a very physical sense. It tracks your eyes and it’s just got this depth that is just pretty magical.”
“Seeing it was kind of mesmerizing and kind of mind-blowing,” says The Mill Creative Director Andrew Proctor. “You’re not designing a set frame but you’re giving a window. Look deeper, look further. You find yourself leaning around and seeing something.
https://youtu.be/lBnJ9PV6OMA
Here’s how it works according to Sony:
High-speed Vision Sensor – The SR Display is based on an innovative high-speed vision sensor that follows exact eye position in space, on vertical, horizontal, and depth axes simultaneously. The display monitors eye movement down to the millisecond while rendering the image instantaneously, based on the location and position of the viewer’s eyes. This allows creators to interact with their designs in a highly-realistic virtual, 3D environment, from any angle without glasses.
Real-time Rendering Algorithm – Additionally, the SR Display leverages an original processing algorithm to display content in real-time. This allows the stereoscopic image to appear as smooth as real life, even if the viewer moves around.
Micro Optical Lens – The micro optical lens is positioned precisely over the stunning 15.6 inches (diag.) LCD display1. This lens divides the image into the left and right eyes allowing for stereoscopic viewing with just the naked eye.
A Dell Technologies commissioned an independent survey of 4,300 worldwide business leaders indicates a massive shift toward digital transformation in 2020 accelerated by the pandemic. The survey indicates that 80% of organizations globally have fast-tracked some digital transformation programs this year. But just 41% accelerated all or most of their programs. Dell says that this is the third installment of their Digital Transformation Index (DT Index), designed to show how businesses are adapting to unprecedented uncertainty during a global pandemic.
Incredibly, 79% are reinventing their business model as a result of the disruption caused by the pandemic and 50% of international business leaders worry they didn’t transition fast enough. The study notes that digital transformation is not easy, 94% of businesses surveyed say they are facing entrenched barriers spanning across technology, people, and policy.
According to the 2020 DT Index, the following are the top-3 barriers to digital transformation success:
Data privacy and cybersecurity concerns (up from 5th place in 2016)
Lack of budget and resources (#1 in 2016, #2 in 2018)
Unable to extract insights from data and/or information overload (a jump of eight places since 2016)
“We’ve been given a glimpse of the future, and the organizations that are accelerating their digital transformation now will be poised for success in the Data Era that is unfolding before our eyes”, says Michael Dell, Chairman, and CEO, Dell Technologies.
Additionally, the survey reveals a huge shift toward remote work. About 25% of employees worked remotely before the pandemic and today it is more than 50% of all employees are remote. According to the survey, remote work has become the new normal.
Top IT Investments Are For Emerging Technologies
Prior to the pandemic, business investments were strongly focused on foundational technologies, rather than emerging technologies. The vast majority, 89 percent recognizethat as a result of disruption this year, they need a more agile/scalable IT infrastructure to allow of contingencies. The DT Index shows the top technology investments for the next one to three years:
Cybersecurity
Data management tools
5G infrastructure
Privacy software
Multi-Cloud environment
And recognizing the importance of emerging technologies, 82 percent of respondents envision increased usage of Augmented Reality to learn how to do or fix things in an instant; 85 percent foresee organizations using Artificial Intelligence and data models to predict potential disruptions, and 78 percent predict distributed ledgers – such as Blockchain – will make the gig economy fairer (by cutting out the intermediary).
Despite these findings, only 16 percent are planning to invest in Virtual/Augmented Reality, just 32 percent intend to invest in Artificial Intelligence, and a mere 15 percent plan to invest in distributed ledgers in the next one to three years.
Intel launched their 10nm Tiger Lake CPU today increasing product performance by 20 percent. “Our 10-nanometer process that our Tiger Lake product will run on today is a step function improvement from the 10-nanometer process we launched just last year,” says Intel CEO Bob Swan. “Its process will deliver 15 to 20 percent more performance in the products that we are launching. At the end of the day, product performance is what matters most to our customers.”
Bob Swan, CEO of Intel, discusses the launch of their 10nm Tiger Lake CPU which provides a significant improvement in product performance:
Product Performance Is What Matters
The PC is a more and more an essential ingredient of our everyday lives. Whether you are studying from home, working from home, and trying to stay connected from home, it’s just more important. The Tiger Lake product that we are launching today, in essence, addresses those activities that we are doing. Whether it’s content creation, inherent productivity, or connectivity, it addresses those key things that are becoming more relevant in terms of how we engage with our PC and how we engage with each other.
At the end of the day, product performance is what matters most to our customers. Under that umbrella, there are multiple things that have evolved over time. Process continues to be very important. Packaging becomes more relevant as we pull different technologies together. Software plays an increasingly important role. The technologies required to build a computer today are much different than they used to be. With Tiger Lake, it’s not just about the CPU or the microprocessor, it’s about the WiFi. Connectivity is so important, upgrading WiFi, and upgrading graphics capabilities, The nature of the PC today and how it’s evolved incorporates more technology. Where process continues to be important, it’s not relatively as important as it once was.
Tiger Lake Will Deliver 20 Percent More Performance
The naming convention over time has lost its relevance. It’s become less of a technical articulation of capabilities and a little bit more of a marketing articulation. Our 10-nanometer process that our Tiger Lake product will run on today is a step function improvement from the 10-nanometer process we launched just last year. Its process will deliver 15 to 20 percent more performance in the products that we are launching. It’s a very exciting time not just because of the Tiger Lake product (the CPU) but how we’ve coupled it with other technologies to address the most top of mind experiences with advanced processing technology that we refer to as SuperFin.
The relative importance of graphics and the role that it plays, not just in gaming but in communications today is so much higher. That’s why with this product launch the enhanced capabilities of our integrated graphics is a real big bump in overall performance. It’s also an increasingly relevant technology and capability in today’s PC. In essence, the use of the PC and what the graphics technology we’ve built into this product does is rising the role that the PC will play as it become more and more an essential ingredient in our everyday lives.
There Will Be Significant Demand For Tiger Lake
Over the last several years we’ve added $20 billion in revenue to the size of the company. From our PC, our internet of things, our communication, and from our cloud businesses, we’ve experienced dramatic growth. It was critical for us to keep pace in ensuring that we have the capacity and the supply to deal with that growth. We’ve made tremendous progress at the end of last year and through the first six months of this year getting that capacity in place.
For both 14-nanometer, which today is the lion’s share of the products we are shipping, but increasingly we are adding capacity. We expect there will be significant demand for the new product that we announced today but also the new products that we have coming in the second half of this year, particularly in the server Xeon chip.
https://youtu.be/PMAi5lXMkXA
Intel CEO Bob Swan: Tiger Lake Will Deliver 20% More Performance
IBM is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to simulate crowds in the first-ever, spectator-less US Open.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, like many sports, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) has had to adapt to the safety measures required to contain the virus. As the USTA’s digital partner for 29 years, IBM set to work recreating the stadium experience using AI.
“Among the challenges the USTA faced this year was how to recreate the sound of fans inside the stadium,” reads the blog post. “IBM leveraged its AI Highlights technology to recreate crowd sounds gleaned from hundreds of hours of video footage captured during last years’ tournament. In past years, AI Highlights used Watson to digest video footage and rank the excitement level of each clip to compile a highlight reel in near-real time and classify specific crowd reactions, including the crowd roar, to give each clip a crowd reaction score. This insight will be used this year to dynamically serve up those sounds based on similar play from last year. The AI Sounds tools will be available to the production teams in-stadium and at ESPN.”
In addition to the stadium experience, IBM is using AI to help fans better connect with the experience. For example, Match Insights with Watson Discovery uses natural language processing (NLP) and natural language generation to take statistics and other structured data and translate it into narrative form. This will help fans get up-to-speed and become “experts” on the players and matchups.
“COVID-19 brought disruption to sports as a whole, and the ability of fans to experience live sporting events has been heavily impacted in 2020. At the same time, the pandemic accelerated the need for engaging technologies using AI and underpinned by a scalable hybrid cloud,” said Noah Syken, Vice President of Sports & Entertainment Partnerships, IBM. “As the technology partner to the USTA, we transformed our offerings to meet tennis fans where they are this year – experiencing the sport through the US Open digital properties everywhere.”
The coronavirus pandemic may be keeping people at home, but Verizon is bringing the Indy 500 right to them.
Verizon, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and NBC Sports have teamed up to provide a front-row experience to fans. A high-definition, 360-degree camera will be placed in the infield and take advantage of Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband service, as well as augmented reality (AR).
In addition to being streamed via Verizon’s BlueJeans platform, AR will allow fans to watch the race on their smartphones, choosing the perspective that best suits them. They will even be able to tour the garages and see the drivers.
“Thanks to Verizon, fans around the globe will be given unprecedented digital access to the biggest personalities and the most exciting behind-the-scenes action of this year’s Indianapolis 500,” said Jonathan Gibson, Executive Vice President, Penske Corporation. “From 5G powered Race Day footage to a public drivers meeting on an innovative platform like BlueJeans, we’re excited to team up with Verizon for an epic Race Weekend.”
This is just the latest example of what can be accomplished when combining 5G with other innovative technologies, such as AR.
On Friday, Aug. 6, 2020, Change to Win showed how events and trade shows are done in 2020 with their first virtual conference. The event was a project of Purple Virtual, a division of Purple Exhibits whose mission is to redefine the future of networking through a virtual reality experience.
From beginning to end, Change to Win was a blast. Many expressed their anticipation for the event by counting down its kickoff time on LinkedIn as early as 3 weeks in advance; and once it began, there were consistent laughs and smiles around the screen.
People are socially deprived, and Suzanne Spaner, a Change to Win Host and Owner of Meeting Matchmakers, knew that when designing the event. Spaner said, “Taking action and moving into the virtual space has proved to be exactly what attendees are craving right now. The need for connection is real. We made that happen for people in the PurpleVirtual world.” On top of being enjoyable, the event was also informative.
After the live show was over, Itzy Holczler, the Co-Owner of Purple Exhibits, was able to reflect on the experience. “Every challenge is an opportunity. Was really hard on me that the event industry went down 100%. But I knew that this is an opportunity, now people are open to new ideas…” He continued, “Yesterday, we really proved that people are extremely happy to be part of history…” When asked what we can expect from the future of Change to Win, Holczler responded, “Next time we’ll focus more on the tradeshow. I was pretty nervous for that part, and this seemed to work out best.” Outside of being known as the Purple Guy, Holczler is professionally known as a trade show booth expert.
Real People: The Speakers
Officially from their website, it takes creativity, flexibility, positivity and persistence to see business success following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Change to Win’s seasoned fleet of speakers had experience to add.
Following the live show, Dr. Ai Addyson-Zhang, speaker and Founder of Classroom Without Walls, left impressed. “Change to Win is not your average online conference. It is engaging, personal, interactive and fun. It is the closest that you can get to an in-person conference. I love how my avatar can shake hands with other avatars, how we can clap for speakers, or just chill and hang out at the beach. I have never attended or spoken at an online conference that has all of these powerful features, that are usually only available through in-person events. I am honored to be a speaker at Change to Win. It is disrupting how events are done.”
Real Networking: Is this the key to business success post-COVID?
Here I am navigating through the conference in virtual reality, Friday, Aug. 6, 2020. Purple Exhibits specializes in event booths. Image: Brian Wallace
Toby Goldstein said, “Many look forward to the day of an event, however at #change2win magic occurred before, during and after. Its purpose was served. Many changed to win, thanks to the #change2win event. Deals were made. Conversations were had and much is in the works thanks to the vision of the Virtual Purple Exhibits.”
Holczler’s business partner Moshe Kaufman stated, “Love the way it’s asked, validating the fact that our whole industry was destroyed. After this event, I feel like new times are coming to this space. I saw people’s excitement and enthusiasm. After being locked out for so long, people are so open and willing to work together to bring this idea to life.” Similarly to Itsy Holczler’s future plans, Kaufman said, “For next time, I would save more time for the trade show and networking part. I find that people are most desperate for this part. Any online event offers speeches, but this kind of networking is something else.”
From Susan Westwater and Scot Westwater, “Change to Win was an incredible experience for us. We always appreciate opportunities to share our knowledge on voice but really felt the virtual platform was as close as we could get to networking in-person when that isn’t truly possible right now. Hats off to itsy, Suzanne and the whole Purple Exhibit team for making this event happen.”
Can Virtual Events Change Lives?
Brian Wallace, David Stanton, and Ira Zlotowitz attending Itzy Holczler’s Change to Win presentation, Friday Aug. 6, 2020. Partners included Bite-Size Workshops, Meeting Matchmakers, Purple Exhibits, and Solvv. Image: Brian Wallace
After COVID-19, virtual events may be the future. As an attendee myself, the event was groundbreaking. I’ve never met with real-life people through virtual means, and everything happened so easily. When speakers were finished, there were booths to roam through, requiring real-life actions to navigate through. In a business that relies on these interactions, but they’ve been halted due to COVID-19, this was a phenomenal experience.
Other attendees felt personal to the event, as well. Chris Giuseppini, a participant, said, “The Change 2 Win conference in the purple virtual world did something other conference platforms could not. No one person was on a pedestal to speak, and you could walk up to a crowd and leave it walking away with someone to have a private conversation with as if it were real life. If you’re nervous about meeting people in real life, you get the benefits of being in pajamas, hiding behind the protection of an avatar, shielding you from social anxiety.”
The event also was well-received by participant Chana Miller, who said, “I thought it was a great event. I especially Loved the diversity of the speakers and attendees. The idea of hosting a virtual event in an actual virtual world is needed now more than ever. I commend the creators of this event for their innovation and forward thinking. Can’t wait for the next one.”
All in all, Change to Win proved that the coronavirus doesn’t have to put a stop to your business. Check out for changetowin.live for more updates on future business conference meetups.
The pandemic has shown us the business opportunities for new and emerging technologies, and even technologies typically thought of as gaming tech can have legitimate business uses and opportunities. Virtual and augmented reality technologies have given people the ability to travel, learn, and do business in a unique way throughout the pandemic, and now these technologies are converging in a new way to form extended reality, or XR technology.
Extended reality is a way to describe the mixed reality platforms that are gaining popularity. These platforms can be used for work, travel, and exercise. For work, Frame allows users to host meetings in a virtual space with as many as 20 participants for a more realistic-feeling meeting experience. Oculus Quest allows users to travel virtually, visiting such landmarks as Chernobyl, Machu Picchu, Antarctica, and even ancient cities as they once were.
When it comes to sports, extended reality is generating even more realistic experiences for users. This is important especially now during the pandemic when people are stuck at home and unable to play their typical competitive sports. The WHO has urged people to get physical activity on a daily basis, which seems to grow more difficult as the pandemic wears on.
Extended reality sports include things like mountain climbing, golf, tennis, and more. To make the play seem more realistic, real sporting equipment is used and is outfitted with sensors that allow the player to experience the game as it is intended to be experienced.
This technology is presenting brand new business opportunities, as well. The popularity of such gaming platforms is growing, and by 2023 the market for extended reality is expected to reach $18 billion.
Increasingly Americans are being forced to take part in activities at home, but even before the pandemic they were choosing to spend more time at home than previous generations. This has booted demand for XR sports, as it gives people an opportunity to take part in communal physical activities from the safety of their own homes.
This technology uses motion tracking, artificial intelligence, and biomechanical modeling to achieve realistic gameplay. Sensors on sporting equipment coupled with sensors watching or on the user track movements to simulate their part in the gameplay. Machine learning adapts to a player to present more realistic competition.
The possibilities for this technology are endless. In the real world, gaming centers are starting to pop up using this technology. Golf simulators and tennis simulators are some of the most popular and prevalent, and eventually there will be several different kinds of virtual sports offerings.
Players will be able to enter a socially distanced pod and play a realistic version of their favorite competitive sport using real sports equipment. Competition happens virtually online and leaderboards keep track of who is performing the best and where they are located.
Gameplay is realistic as is the feel of competition, something that is currently missing in many home-based virtual reality games. As this technology progresses, the possibilities are endless. Learn more about the future of XR sports from the infographic below.
